Women's rights by country

This article provides index of women's rights by country in various domains.

Women's emancipation

Emancipation of women by country

Women's right in:	Forced marriage prohibited? (see: Forced marriage)	Unmarried women emancipated?	Married women emancipated?	Men and women equalized in marriage?	Notes and sources
Afghanistan	No	No	No	No	[1]
Albania	Since 1928	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Algeria	Since 1984	Yes (since 2005)	Yes (since 2005)	No	[3]
Angola	Yes	Yes	Since 1996	Since 1996	[2]
Argentina	Yes	Since 1870	Since 1926/1968	Since 1987	[2] [4] [5]
Armenia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Australia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Austria	Yes	Yes	Since 1975/6	Since 1978	[2] [6]
Azerbaijan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Bahrain	Yes	No: getting married	No: leaving their home Yes: Getting passport, leaving the country	No	[7] [3]
Bangladesh	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	[2] [8]
Belarus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Benin	Since 2004	Yes	Since 2002	Since 2005	[9] [2]
Bhutan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Bolivia	Yes	Yes	Since 1972	Yes	[2] [4]
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Botswana	Yes	Yes	Since 2005	SInce 2005	[2]
Brazil	Yes	Yes	Since 1962	Since 1988	[2] [10]
Brunei	Yes	No	No	No	[11]
Bulgaria	Yes	Yes	Yes	Since 1945	[2]
Burkina Faso	Since 1990	Yes	Since 1990	Since 1990	[12] [2]
Burundi	Yes	Yes	Since 1993	No	[2] [13]
Cambodia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Cameroon	Since 2007	Yes	No: getting a job	No	[2] [14]
Canada	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Central African Republic	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	[2] [13]
Chad	Yes	Yes	No: getting a job	No	[2] [13] [14]
Chile	Yes	Yes	Since 1979	No	Article 1749 of the Chile Civil Code stripulates man is the head of the household [2] [13] [4] [15]
China	Since 1950	Yes	Yes	Since 1950	New Marriage Law [16]
Colombia	Yes	Yes	Since 1932	Yes	[2] [4]
Costa Rica	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[17]
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Since 2006	Yes	Since 2017	No	[2] [13]
Republic of the Congo	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	[2]
Croatia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Cuba	Yes	Yes	Since 1917	Yes	[2] [4]
Cyprus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Czech Republic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Denmark	Yes	Since 1857	Since 1899	Since 1925	[2]
Cyprus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Djibouti	Yes	Yes	No	No	[2] [13]
Dominican Republic	Yes	Yes	Since 1978	Yes	[2] [13]
Ecuador	Yes	Yes	Since 1949	Yes	[17] [4]
Egypt	No	No	No: Leaving their home, getting a job Yes: Getting passport and travelling abroad (since 2000)	No	[2] [13] [18] [3] [14]
El Salvador	Yes	Yes	Since 1902	Since 1994	[17] [2] [4]
Eritrea	Yes	Yes	Since 1992	Since 1992	[17] [2]
Estonia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Eswatini	Yes	Yes	No: working a job	No	[2] [14]
Ethiopia	Since 2004	Yes	Since 2000	Since 2000	[2]
Finland	Yes	Since 1864	Yes	Since 1929	[2]
France	Since 1804	Since 1893	Yes: Legal majority: Since 1938, right to work without husband permission: 1965	Since 1970	[19] [20] [21]
Gabon		Yes	Since 2021	Since 2021	[22]
Gambia	Since 2016				[23]
Georgia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Germany	Yes	Yes	1977: Right to work without husband's permission	Since 1979	[17] [24]
Ghana	Since 1999	Yes	Yes	Since 1999	[2]
Greece	Yes	Yes	Since 1983	Since 1983	[2]
Guatemala	Yes	Yes	Since 1963	Yes	[17]
Guinea	Yes	Yes	Since 2019	Since 2019	[2]
Guinea-Bissau	Yes	Yes	No: getting a job	No	[2] [13] [14]
Guyana	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Haiti	Yes	Yes	Yes	Since 1983	[2]
Honduras	Yes	Yes	Since 1906	Yes	[17] [4]
Hungary	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Iceland	Yes	Since 1861	Since 1899	Since 1923	[2]
India	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[17]
Indonesia	Yes	Yes	Since 1963	No	[2] [8]
Iran	Yes	Yes	No: Leaving home, getting passport requires husband permission	No	[2] [3]
Iraq	Since 1959	Since 1959	No: leaving their home Yes: Getting passport (since 2014)	No	[25] [2] [13] [3]
Ireland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[17]
Israel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Italy	Yes	Since 1865	Since 1975	Since 1975	[2]
Ivory Coast	Since 1965	Yes	Since 2013	Yes	[26] [2]
Japan	Since 1889	Yes	Yes	Since 1947	[27]
Jordan	Yes	No: getting married	No: leaving their home, getting a job Yes: getting a passport (since 2013)	No	[2] [13] [3] [14] [28]
Kazakhstan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Kenya	Since 2001	Yes	Yes	Yes	[17] [29]
Kuwait	Yes	No: getting married	No: leaving their home Yes: getting passport (since 2009)	No	[30] [3]
Kyrgyzstan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Laos	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Latvia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Lebanon	Yes		No: leaving their home Yes: getting a passport, leaving the country (since 1974)	No	[3]
Lesotho	Yes	Yes	Since 2006	Since 2006	[2] [31]
Liberia	Yes	Yes	Since 1973	Since 1973	[2]
Libya	Yes	No	No	No	[2] [8] [32]
Lithuania	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Luxembourg	Yes	Yes	Since 1972	Yes	[2]
Madagascar	Yes	Yes	Since 2008	No	[2] [8]
Malawi	Since 2010	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Malaysia	Yes	No: getting married	No	No	[13] [33]
Mali	Since 1962	No	No	No	[34] [2]
Malta	Yes	Yes	Yes	Since 1994	[2]
Mauritania	No	No: getting married	No: getting a job	No	Consent required for marriage of adult women, but "silence equates consent" for underage girls [35] [14]
Mexico	Yes	Yes	Since 1917	Since 1928	[17] [4]
Moldova	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Mongolia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Montenegro	Yes	Since 1888	Yes	Yes	[2]
Morocco	Since 2004	Since 2004	Since 2004	No	[36] [37] [3]
Mozambique	Yes	Yes	Since 2004	Since 2004	[2]
Myanmar	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Namibia	Yes	Yes	Since 1996	Yes	[2]
Nepal	Since 1963	Since 2002	Since 2007	Since 2007	[2]
Netherlands	Yes	Since 1795	Since 1956	Since 1984	[2] [38]
New Zealand	Yes	Yes	Since 1903	Since 1926	[2]
Nicaragua	Yes	Yes	Since 1904	Yes	[2] [4]
Niger	Yes	Yes	No: getting a job	No	[2] [14]
Nigeria (Southern states)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Nigeria (Sharia states)	No	No	No	No	[39]
North Korea	Since 1947	Yes	Yes	Yes	[40]
North Macedonia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Norway	Yes	Since 1863	Since 1890	Since 1927	[2]
Oman	Yes	No	No (leaving their home) Yes: Getting a passport (since 2010)	No	[41] [3]
Pakistan	Since 2007	Yes	Yes	No	[2] [8]
Panama	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[17]
Papua New Guinea	Yes	Yes	Since 1987/92	Yes	[2]
Paraguay	Yes	Yes	Since 1987	Yes	[2]
Peru	Yes	Yes	Since 1984	Since 1984	[2]
Philippines	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Poland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Portugal	Yes	Since 1867	Since 1969	Since 1978	[2] [42]
Qatar	Yes	No: leaving the country, getting married	No: leaving their home Yes: getting a passport (since 2007)	No	[43] [3]
Romania	Yes	Yes	Since 1932	Yes	[2] [44]
Russia	Since 1724	Yes	Yes	Since 1918	[2]
Rwanda	Yes	Yes	Since 1988	Since 1988	[2]
Saudi Arabia	Since 2005	No: marriage Yes: getting a passport (since 2019)	No: Must obey husband Yes: getting a passport (since 2019)	No	[45] [3]
Senegal	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	[8] [2] [14]
Serbia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Sierra Leone	Since 2007				[9]
Singapore	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Slovakia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Slovenia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Somalia	No	No	No	No	[46]
Somaliland	No	No	No	No	[46]
South Africa	Yes	Yes	Yes	Since 2000	[2]
South Korea	Yes	Yes	Yes	Since 2005	[2]
South Sudan	No	No	No	No	[46]
Spain	Yes	Since 1978	Since 1981	Since 1981	[2]
Sudan	No	No	No	No	[47] [14] [46]
Suriname	Yes	Yes	Since 1981	Since 1981	[2]
Sweden	Since 1734	Since 1863 – 1882	Since 1920	Since 1920	[48] [49]
Switzerland	Yes	Since 1884	Since 1984	Since 1988	[2]
Syria	Yes	Partially: Marriage	No	No	[14] [8] [50]
Taiwan	Yes	Yes	Since 1998	Since 2000	[2]
Tajikistan	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Thailand	Since 1868				[51]
Timor-Leste	Yes	Yes	Since 2012	Since 2012	[2]
Tonga	Since 1956	No: Land ownership	No: Land ownership		[52]
Togo	Since 2007	Yes	Since 2014	Yes	[2]
Tunisia	Since 1956	Yes	Yes, can work (since 2000), leave home (since 1993) and get passport without husband permission	No	[53] [2] [3]
Turkey	Since 1917	Yes	Yes	Since 2001	[54]
Uganda	Yes (civil marriage); No (Muslims)	Yes (civil marriage); No (Muslims)	Yes (civil marriage); No (Muslims)	No	[2] [46]
Ukraine	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
United Arab Emirates	Yes	No: getting married Yes: getting passport	No: leaving their home Yes: getting passport (since 2017)	No	[55] [3]
United Kingdom	Yes	Yes	Yes	Since 1949	[2]
United States	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Uruguay	Yes	Yes	Since 1946	Yes	[2] [4]
Uzbekistan	Since 1926				[56]
Venezuela	Yes	Yes	Since 1942	Yes	[2] [4]
Vietnam	Since 1960	Yes	Yes	Yes	[57] [2]
Yemen	No	No	No	No	Consent required for marriage of previously married women, but "silence equates consent" for never-married women [58] [3]
Zambia	Since 2011	Yes	Yes	Yes	[2]
Zimbabwe	Yes	Yes	Since 1982	Since 2022	[2]

Canada

Women's right in:	Married women emancipated?	Men and women equalized in marriage?	Notes and sources
Alberta	1922	1920: equal guardianship rights	[59] [60]
British Columbia	1873	1917	[60]
Manitoba	1900	1922	[60] [59]
New Brunswick	1895	?	[60]
Newfoundland and Labrador	1876	?	[60]
Nova Scotia	1884	1941	[60]
Ontario	1884	1927	[59] [60]
Prince Edward Island	1903	?	[59]
Quebec	1964	1981	[59] [61]
Saskatchewan	1907	1926	[60] [59]

Australia

Women's right in:	Married women emancipated?	Men and women equalized in marriage?	Notes and sources
New South Wales	1879	?	[62]
Queensland	1890	?	[62]
South Australia	1884	?	[62]
Tasmania	1883	?	[62]
Victoria	1884	?	[62]
Western Australia	1892	?	[62]

United States

Women's right in: [63] [64] [65]	Married women emancipated?			Men and women equalized in marriage?	Notes and sources
	Separate earnings	Separate property	Work without husband permission
Alabama	1877	1867	?	1981	[66]
Alaska	?	?	?	?
Arizona	1873	1871	1871	?
Arkansas	1873	1871	1868	?
California	1872	1872	1872	?
Colorado	1861/1874	1861/1874	1874	?
Connecticut	1877	1877	1877	?
Delaware	1873	1873/5	?	?
Florida	1892	1943	?	?
Georgia	1861	1873	?	1983	[67]
Hawaii	?	?	?	?
Idaho	1915/1887	1903	1887	?
Illinois	1861/9	1861	1874	?
Indiana	1879	1879	?	?
Iowa	1870/3	1873	1873	?
Kansas	1858/68	1858/68	1868	?
Kentucky	1873	1894	1873	?
Louisiana	1928	1916	1894	1980
Maine	1857	1844/55	1844	?
Maryland	1842/60	1860	1860	?
Massachusetts	1846/74	1855/72	1874	?
Michigan	1911	1855	?	?
Minnesota	1869	1869	1874	?
Mississippi	1871/3	1871/80	1871	?
Missouri	1875/9	1875/9	?	?
Montana	1874/87	1872/87	1874	?
Nebraska	1871/81	1871/81	1881	?
Nevada	1873	1873	1873	?
New Hampshire	1867	1860/7	1876	?
New Jersey	1874	1852	1874	?
New Mexico	?	1884	?	?
New York	1860	1848	1860	?
North Carolina	1873/1913	1868	1874	?
North Dakota	1877	1877	1877	?
Ohio	1861	1861	?	?
Oklahoma	?	1883	?	1984	[68]
Oregon	1872/80	1878	1880	?
Pennsylvania	1872	1848	?	?
Rhode Island	1872/4	1872/48	?	?
South Carolina	1887	1868/70	1970	?
South Dakota	1877	1877	1877
Tennessee	1919	1870/1919	?	?
Texas	1913/68	1913/68	?	1968	[69]
Utah	1895/7	1872/95	1895	?
Vermont	1888	1881	1881	?
Virginia	1888	1877/8	?	?
Washington	1881/9	1881/9	1889	?
West Virginia	1893	1868	1893	?
Wisconsin	1872	1850	?	1921	[70]
Wyoming	1869/76	1869/76	1876	?

Women's voting rights

Main article: Timeline of women's suffrage

Women's right to vote by country or territory
Prohibition   Authorized but with limitations   Locally authorized (no national elections)   Completely authorized

Women's reproductive rights

Main article: Emergency contraceptive availability by country

Emergency contraceptive availability by country or territory
Allows direct access to EC over the counter   Allows access to EC from a pharmacist without requiring a prescription   Requires a prescription to access EC   EC not available

Main article: Legal status of human sterilization by country

Laws regarding sterilization for contraceptive purposes around the world
Legal from the age of 18   Legal from the age of 21, 25 or 18 for those with two children   Legal from the age of 25   Legal from the age of 30, 35 or 40   Legal for those with at least 3, 4 or 5 children sometimes with additional age requirements   Illegal   No data

Women's body integrity rights

Main article: Female genital mutilation laws by country

Female genital mutilation laws by country
Specific criminal provision or national law prohibiting FGM   General criminal provision that might be used to prosecute FGM   Partial or subnational FGM criminalisation, or unclear legal status   FGM not criminalised   No data

See also

• Timeline of women's legal rights (other than voting)

References

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